Three different types: "Traditional", "2-Tone" and "3rd Wave". Traditional came about in the late 1950s as new dance music straight out of Jamaica. 2-Tone is named such because whites and blacks came together to form ska bands to spread unity in the 1970s. 3rd Wave is when ska hit America in the late 1980s, and added a bit of punk flair.

Also a very flexible style of music, incorporateable into other styles, which is why it's still around today and has such a large and diverse fan base.

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A genre of music stylized by the influences of American jazz and swing, born out of Jamaica. It underwent three waves, Trad(itional), Two-Tone, and 3rd wave. The guitar is always played on the off beats, or "upstrokes." The bass line is almost always a walking bass line unless the band is more punk influenced (however, ska is what helped bring about punk), and there is a horn line, usually with some swinging stuff. Ska gave birth to many different types of music, such as rocksteady, reggae, punk, rap and hip-hop (it's true).

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Jamaican R&B artists developed their nation's first indigenous music genre when they began to incorporate jazz, African and Calypso rhythms into their songs in the late 1950s. The result was Ska, a fusion of the unique Jamaican mento rhythms with R&B. In Ska, the drum comes in on the 2nd and 4th beats, while the guitar emphasizes the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th beats. Ska bands usually consist of a strong rhythm section, guitars, keyboards and brass. The early Ska music of in the '60s and '70s spawned later revivals. The first was in the U.K. in the '80s, giving rise to bands like Madness and the Specials. The next, known as Third Wave Ska, struck the U.S. in the '90s.

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One of the most versitile and long lasting genre of music alive today. Disregarding some peoples beliefs, Ska makes itself individualised by its brass section, walking basslines and offbeat guitar chords. There were 3 waves of ska; Trad, 2 tone and 3rd wave but most bands today are 3rd wave caus its totally cool. It has derived from alot of influences, of which jazz, reggae, swing and punk would be the most prominant. Suits, big shades and dancin' shoes are usually worn at a ska concert.

"Man, Ska is totally cool! All other music bites serious ass compared to it!"

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Ska is a type of music that has an upbeat guitar sound. It is normally acompanied by horns but not always. Ska has been around since the late 1950's and Reggae originated from it. Ska, today, has more of a punk influence to it. It was not originated from punk, since Ska came around before punk. The two sounds mixed together when Ska hit the America music scene.

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A music genre created in Jamaica. The orginal music called ska is now called first wave. Then it went to England and became two tone because of racial unity between black and whites. Then it moved into America and became third wave because it was more punk influenced in America. Ska bands are defined because of the guitars and keyboards playing on the upbeat, not because of horn sections, which are also commonly ascociated with ska. Ska gave birth to reggae, rocksteady, dub, and punk. Ska is also considered the opposite of emo because emo is usually more sadder sounding whereas ska is more happy sounding. The horn sections in ska bands are usually made up of saxes, trumpets, and trombones.

First Wave Band - Skatalites
Two Tone Band - Specials
Third Wave Band - Toasters